Family, friends hold vigil for man stabbed to death in Renton; motive still mystery



RENTON, Wash. --  Renton police say they still don’t know who stabbed 64-year-old Jerry "JT" Turner to death inside his apartment. His body was found Wednesday afternoon.

Turner's family says they’re frustrated that police haven’t identified a suspect yet.

Turner had a big family. Friday night, dozens of them came together to light candles in his honor.

“I love him to death, I’m going to miss him for real, I’m going to miss him,” says Cortillia McMillian, Turner’s stepdaughter. “He was good people, just good people, he was good to me.”

His nephew tells Q13 FOX News that Turner had been battling terminal stomach cancer. So the family knew they might have to say goodbye to him someday. But they did not expect that day to come so soon.

“I’m just in a state of shock right now,” he says.

Police say Turner’s body was discovered Wednesday afternoon, by a woman visiting one of the other people who lived in the Renton apartment. She says the door was unlocked. Police are now trying to figure out how long Turner may have been there.

“We do know that a lot of people tend to go in and out of that apartment, so we've been trying to follow up and get a hold of them and find out what they know,” says police Commander Dave Leibman. “We’ve also interviewed all of the neighbors as well.”

Investigators say there were no signs of a break-in or burglary, so the motive for the murder is a mystery. They believe there may have been a struggle, before Turner was stabbed multiple times.

“The Washington State Patrol crime lab came in and collected the evidence. Once they're done analyzing that, we'll have a much better idea what happened.”

Turner’s family met with Renton police Friday. They say they are trying to be patient with the investigation, but they say Turner deserves answers and justice now.